Shadow Slave

Usually, it would have taken Kai a lot longer to fly across the city to reach the tranquil terrace district… not that he would have. But today, the famous idol neglected his habit of staying low and out of sight. It seemed that his speed increased tremendously, as well, because ten minutes later, he was already at Sunny's door.

Maybe because of that, there was no crowd of paparazzi following him.

As they waited for Cassie, Effie rummaged through the empty refrigerator, then walked away from it with a disappointed sigh.

"There's no food!"

Sunny, who was evaluating the damage the boisterous huntress had done to the guest bedroom, glanced at her darkly.

"We've been gone for months. What did you expect?"

Effie made a sad face, then shrugged.

"But I'm hungry!"

Sunny let out an exasperated breath.

"...I have some synthpaste, if you want."

She shuddered and opened her mouth to retort, but at that moment, there was a knock on the door. If not for the haughty shadow standing guard outside — reluctantly, of course, since mundane tasks such as this were grossly beneath it — Sunny would have tensed up.

However, he already knew that it was Cassie.

The blind girl walked inside, froze for a moment, then raised a deliciously smelling package.

"...I brought food."

threw a quick glance at Kai and

Someone has

not stare at

after becoming a Master, his looks assumed an almost hypnotizing quality. It

but shake his head ruefully, a stunned expression on his face. He

average in one sentence with someone like her. Jet possessed an intangible quality that no one he had ever met was able to match. The four of them were Masters too, now, but they

And Sunny himself?

call himself unassuming anymore. The scrawny kid from the outskirts was gone. Instead, a young man with porcelain skin and striking

Sunny himself, golden threads

the table and

of the four seemed too joyous… well, except for Effie, who couldn't stop grinning

just felt… hurt, tired,

the Nightmare, there was no time for weakness. They had to carry on no matter how deep the wounds dealt to their souls cut. Now that the danger had passed and

Red Colosseum, the nightmares, the assault on the Ivory City… all of it was slowly coming back

share of

poured himself a cup of tea, looked

what happened? I don't remember much

and stared at

what? You were swallowed

Kai smiled with embarrassment:

I just, sort of… jumped into his mouth. Because I didn't know how else to kill

anything. She even

looked down, then

with the knives, I think. After you killed the dragon, there was no real reason for him to stay. He

for a few